Air cleaner



Aug. 5, 1941. T. w. HALLERBERG AIR CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April l, 1939 lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll@ Aug- 5, 1941. T. w- HALLERBERG 2,251,790

' A1B CLEANER Filed April l, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE.

AIR CLEANER Theodore W. Hallerberg, Chicago, Ill., assignor to United Specialties Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application April 1, 1939, Serial No. 265,396

1 claim. I(ci. iss-15) 'Ihis invention relates to improvements in an air cleaner, and more particularly to an air cleaner of the liquid bath type, highly desirable for use in connection with the carbureter inlet of an internal combustion engine and in connection With air compressors and other mechanisms or machines requiring a fairly constant supply of clean air and which machines create a suction for drawing the air through the cleaner, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

When an air cleaner is used in connection with an internal combustion engine, it is essential that the air cleaner be of a certain required capacity for the particular engine, capable of a certain required eiciency, and Capable of cleansing the air without any danger of pullover of the cleansing liquid into the carburetor of the engine. At the same time, the air cleaner must be manufactured in as small a size as possible because of the limited space beneath the hood of many types of automotive vehicles. Difficulty has heretofore been experienced in the manufacture of an air cleaner which Will meet all of these requirements.

With the above in mind, it is an important bject of the present invention to provide an air cleaner equipped with special construction and arranged to establish a definite circulation of cleansing liquid within the cleaner, and thus increase the capacity of the cleaner. Consequently, the cleaner may be built of a smaller size to perform a specific duty than was heretofore possible.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a liquid bath air cleaner having a special construction to insure adequate circulation of the washing medium, which structure may be incorporated in substantially any liquid bath air cleaner, regardless of the disposition of the inlet passage of the cleaner.

Another object the invention. is the provision of a licuid beth air cleaner containing a filter mass disposed above a liquid sump and constructed so that incoming air will carry sump liquid up into the lter mass, equipped with receiving means for draining liquid from the mass disposed immediately adjacent the inlet and arranged so that incoming air Will aspirato or educe liquid from the receivincJr means directly into the air stream.

A further object of the prese-nt invention is the provision. of a liquid bath air cleaner containing a filter mess, with associated construction arranged to cause air traveling through the cleaner to produce a region of low pressure immediately adjacent the inlet and thus cause a circulation of cleansing liquid through the filter mass in a direction leading away from the outlet of the cleaner, thereby increasing the capacity of the cleaner and lessening the chances of pullover of cleansing liquid through the outlet of the cleaner.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a liquid bath air cleaner having a fllter'mass, in which a filter holding element is incorporated, which lelement is arranged to insure a proper washing of incoming air, a proper circulation `of air through the filter mass, and tend to lessen the chances of pull-over of cleansing liquid through the outlet of the cleaner.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel structural arrangement for association with the lter mass of a liquid bath air cleaner, providing a drain trough adjacent the inlet passage of the cleaner, with openings inl the bottom of the drain trough through Which accumulated liquid may be aspirated by incoming air, thereby causing a region of 10W pressure adjacent the inlet and establishing a definite circulation of cleansing liquid in the filter mass.

Still a further object of the invention resides inthe provision of means for providing a drain trough adjacent the inlet. and beneath the lter mass of a liquid bath air cleaner. which drain trough is provided with apertures through which accumulated liquid may be aspirated or educed by incoming air, with guiding means associated with the apertures to direct the aspirated liquid directly into the path of the air stream.

A further very important object of the invention is the provision of a liquid bath air cleaner in which cleansing liquid is caused, by the action of the traveling air, to enter directly into the air stream from a plurality of different directions, and in which a definite circulation of cleansing liquid through the filter mass is established, which circulation is in a direction leading away from the outlet of the cleaner.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures7 taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary, part elevational, part vertical sectional View of an air cleaner cmbodyingl principles of the present invention;

cleaners of various types, substantially regard less of the location of the inlet passage to the4 particular air cleaner. To illustrate this fact, by way of example and not by way of limitation,`

- I have shown in Figures 1 and 2l the association of the present invention with a liquid bath air cleaner having a center tube inlet. In Figure 3, I have illustrated the association of the present invention with an air cleaner having an annular inlet adjacent the outer wall of the casing structure. In either instance, the improved features of the present invention function in the same way to produce the same results, it being only necessary to locate the drainage receiving means immediately adjacent the inlet to the cleaner, whether that inlet is in an outside or inside position.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2l, it will be seen that the rst illustrated embodiment of the invention is incorporated in an air cleaner embodying an upper casing section 5 containing a lter mass surrounding a centrally disposed downwardly leading inlet conduit 1. The filter mass 6 may be ofV any suitable material, such as curled cattle tail hair, crimped or waved copper wire or ribbon, or the equivalent. A belled entrance 8 is provided to the inlet conduit 1, and above the entrance is a covering portion 9 which connects with an inlet conduit l0, A distributing member I`I which functions as a liquid trap in the event of backre through the cleaner or' other action resulting in a reverse travel of sump liquid may be used if so desired. On one side, a suitable outlet arrangement is provided, including an outlet conduit I2 for cleaned air which communicates with an opening I3 above the filter mass.

The lower casing section is in the nature of a cup I4 to denne the liquid sump beneath the ltermass. This casing section carries a baffle I5 having a peaked central part I6, a series of openings I'I through which sump liquid may be aspirated by air traveling over the upper surface.

of the baille, and a plurality of higher openings IB adjacent which is a scoop flange I9.to remove the heavier dirt-laden sump liquid and permit it to return to thebottom of the sump after passing over the area of the baffle between the openingslland I8.

The cup I4 is removably held in position by means of a suitable bail 20 connected with a split ring holder 2| or the equivalent.

Disposed beneath the lter mass 6 is a relatively wide mesh screen or layer of hardware cloth 22. This layer of hardware cloth or the like, together with the filter mass, is held in position by a lter holder 23 attached to the casing 5 by an interlocked seam, as indicated at 24, the filter holder forming in effect a continuation of the casing wall 5 below the interlocked seam. The holderis then turned inwardly and a raised portion 25 in the form of a series of widely spaced bars abuts the screen or hardware cloth 22. With bars 25 define an annulus of relatively large openings 26 through which incoming air may pass into the lter mass. Immediately adjacent the inlet conduit '1, the filter holder is shaped to provide a downwardly extending groove 2'I which functions as a drainage trough for cleansing liquid draining out of the lter mass. In the bottom of this trough or channel, a series of openings 28 are provided, through which incoming air may aspirate liquid accumulated in the trough. Each of these openings is preferably made by striking out a tongue 29 from the metallic stock of the iilter holding element. As seen more clearly in Figure 1, the tongues are left in an inclined position,vwith the inclination in the direction of the traveling air, so that incoming air must pass over the sloping walls of y the tongue. Above the trough, the inner edge of the filter holding element abuts one or more preferably narrow tongues 30 struck from the side of the inlet conduit 1, which tongues aid in properly positioning the holding element during assembly of the cleaner.

In operation, the cleaner is connected through the outlet conduit I2 to a mechanism capable of sucking in air, such as the air intake to a carbureter of an internal combustion engine. Due to suction developed in the engine, air is drawn through the cleaner. The air forcibly descends to the inlet conduit 1, strikes the baiile I5, and is turned laterally and upwardly by the upper face of the bale, rising through the lter mass Ei and exiting through the outlet I2.

At the start of the operation, the cup III carries a cleansing liquid, such, for example, as crankcase oil, to a static level substantially as indicated by the dotted line 3|. It will be noted that this level seals off the bottom end of the inlet conduit l. Immediately upon the start of operation, all of the liquid disposed above the upper face of the baiiie is at once pushed upwardly into the lter mass. As operation continues, more liquid is aspirated through the opening l1 in the baiile directly into the air stream.

Some of this liquid will vbe carried up into the ilter mass, and a portion of it, the more heavily dirt-laden, will be scooped out of the air stream by the scoop I9 and returned through the openings I8 to the sump.y

the incoming air will create a region of low pressure inthe iilter mass adjacent the inlet conduit 1, so that the liquid contained in the filter mass will tend to seek this region of low pressure and the circulation will be definitely maintained during operation. 'Ihiscirculation in short Will be liquid carried upwardly through the large opening 25 into the filter mass, across insidethe mass to the inlet conduit, and down adjacent the inlet conduit into the trough 27, from which it is again aspirated into the air stream and carried up into the filter mass. With sump liquid being aspirated forcibly into the air stream, both from above and also from the sump underneath through the openings IT, there is a thorough comminglement of liquid and air, insuring a posreference to Figure 2, it will be seen that the 7.5." Ve Cleansing SJCOH- The aSDIaIOIl Of the sump liquid from the filter mass prevents the liquid from rising too high Within the mass, thus leaving plenty of the filtering mass to remove any entrained liquid from the air and insuring that the air leaves clean and liquid-free through the outlet. With this added washing action and with the definitely established circulation in the filter mass, with the general direction of the circulation away from the outlet, the capacity of the cleaner is increased, and therefore the size of the cleaner may be reduced to perform the specic job that has heretofore required a larger sized cleaner.

In Figure 3, I have illustrated a different form of air cleaner embodying principles of this invention. In this instance, the cleaner includes a casing section 32 containing a lter mass 33 surrounded by a shell 34 in concentric relation and spaced from the casing 32 to provide an annular inlet passage 35. A suitable cup memer 36 defining the liquid sump is held in positionupon the cleaner by a bail 31 or equivalent means.

Inside the cup, a baille 38 is retained in position by a spring ring 39 or equivalent means. The baille is generally dome-like in shape and is provided with a plurality of openings 40 through which sump liquid may be aspirated or educed by air traveling over the upper surface of the baille. As seen in Figure 3, the baille may have an apertured central depression through which liquid may return to the sump when draining from the filter mass, and the aperture aids in preventing the occurrence of a suction or deadair pocket beneath the baille.

The usual heavy screen or sheet of hardware cloth 4| is provided beneath the lter mass 33 and a filter holding element 42 is attached to the lower part of the casing section 32. 'Ihe casing section is provided with a plurality of apertures 43, and the holding element 42 has a similar number of tongues 44 struck therefrom. When the holding element is pressed upwardly in telescopic association with the casing section 32, the tongues 44 snap into the holes 43 and lock the lter holding element in position. Beneath the filter the holding element is provided with a series of bars 45 defining large openings therebetween. Adjacent the outer portion thereof, immediately adjacent the inlet passage 35, the holding element is provided with a trough formation 21a having openings 28a in the bottom formed by striking out inclined tongues 29a, just as previously described in connection with Figures 1 and 2.

The operation of the cleaner construction shown in Figure 3, insofar as the trough formation on the filter holding element is concerned is substantially the same as that previously described. Incoming air traveling forcibly downwardly through the inlet 35 turns inwardly and upwardly over the face of the baille, aspirating liquid through the openings lill directly into the air stream from the sump therebeneath. The static liquid level is indicated at 4%, preferably sufficiently high to seal off the inlet opening. Consequently, all of the sump liquid above the baille is pushed immediately into the lter mass 33. Then the aspiration from the sump through the openings 45 begins. At the same time, a suction is created through the openings 28a, and the liquid within the filter mass tends to move towards the outside, drain into the trough, and is aspirated directly into the path of incoming air. With the cleaner shown in this figure, the outlet passage is preferably centrally located, so that the circulation within the filter mass has a general direction away from the outlet.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided an air cleaner embodying a novel construction, wherein a positive and definite circulation of cleansing fluid within the illter mass is set up, the general direction of the circulation being away from the outlet of the filter. Further, incoming air not only causes such circulation, but also establishes a secondary circulation from the liquid sump, so that sump liquid is aspirated or educed directly into the air stream from a plurality of different directions, insuring a thorough comminglement of sump liquid with the air and thus enhancing the cleansing process. It will be seen that the cleaner structure is very efficient in action and highly economical to manufacture, when it is recalled that by my novel invention, the capacity of the cleaner is increased, permitting the entire cleaner to be made of a smaller size and perform the same duties as required a larger sized cleaner heretofore.

It will, of course, be understood that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is therefore not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In an air cleaner, a casing having a liquid sump, a center tube inlet extending into said casing, a lter mass around saidl tube above said sump, said casing having an outlet communicating with the region above said filter mass, and a troughlike annular member with curved lside walls below said filter mass and extending around and below the inner end of said tube into the path of incoming air, said member having an annular series of openings in the bottom thereof through which sump liquid previously carried into the filter mass may be aspirated by traveling air into the air stream, and a sloping tongue adjacent each opening of said series extending therebelow with its inclination in the direction of air travel through the cleaner.

THEODORE W. HALLERBERG. 

